About Rotary Oceania

Rotary Clubs in New Zealand and the South Pacific are organised into 5 geographical Districts covering:

New Zealand, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

These five districts are a part of Rotary International grouped together in a regional designation of ‘Zone 7b’. The district provides an organisational link between Rotary International and the clubs within that geographical area and provides the clubs with resources and support.  Subject to the requirements of Rotary International, clubs are otherwise autonomous.

Since Rotary started in New Zealand in 1921 it has spread throughout New Zealand and the Pacific to include 10 Pacific Island nations. Rotary membership across the five New Zealand-based districts is per capita among the highest in the world with an ever-increasing number of women and couples joining Rotary for the contribution to volunteerism and lifestyle it offers. Rotary in New Zealand has contributed to or started many programmes that are now independent and respected organisations such as CCS and the Kidney Society.

Rotary clubs are autonomous and self-governing.  All clubs in New Zealand comprise two parts: the club, an incorporated entity, to which the members belong and organises the affairs of the club and the projects undertaken.  The second is technically separate whereby each club has a charity meeting the requirements of the Charities Act 2005 that receives and distributes funds raised by the club for charitable purposes.  Clubs in the Pacific have similar structures as relevant to the laws of their country.